Cookies
by WriterfromWarDrobe
Summary: Pop-up advertisements, search history, suggested items - "cookies" might have been designed to make online shopping easier, but when you're trying to keep a secret, these little "cookies" seem determined to ruin everything. (Multi-chapter)
1. Chapter 1

**Cookies**

**A Cyberchase Fanfiction**

**By WriterfromWarDrobe**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Cyberchase. **

"Okay, this is hands-down the coolest shopping center in Cyberspace!" Jackie declared, staring around at the diverse population of cybercitizens, standing in front of kiosks along the green hall of the cybershopping-center, Amazin'.

Matt's wife Shari sighed. "I actually find it rather impersonal. I miss being able to shop and actually converse with real cyborgs at the cash registers. Or being able to try on clothes before purchasing them, not having to deal with promises of 'We will gladly accept all returned items without question, but there'll be a delay in returning the money to your credit card. Shouldn't have lied about your measurements. Be honest now!' Ugh! I don't like having to admit that my curves didn't come back after having the twins."

Just then, two little boys with red hair, purple eyes, and wearing identical teal shirts zoomed by on small dustpan brooms.

"Slow down! What have I told you about riding your brooms in crowded spaces!" their mother hollered.

Not slowing down as requested, the two made a sharp aboutface, returning the way they had come. However, one of them tipped to the side, nearly falling off his broom. Shari quickly hauled out her wand and gave it wave. Instantly, the boy was set to rights, speeding over Jackie's head. The other one, meanwhile, knocked off a Poddle's hat. "Watch it!" the Poddle warned, looking up angrily.

"That does it!" declared Shari. With another wave of her wand, a purple portal appeared directly in front of the twins. Unable to stop or veer out of the way, the two boys flew into the portal which instantly vanished.

"Where'd they go?" Jackie asked.

"I sent Red and Gorge home to their father. It's Matt's turn to be the parent."

Jackie chuckled as she turned back to her kiosk and purchased the items in her "cart." "Where do you suppose Inez has got to?" she wondered aloud. "I'm just about ready to leave." With the push of a button, the kiosk screen displayed a yellow message that read "Transaction Complete." Next second, a wrapped package rolled off the conveyor belt beside the kiosk and dropped onto the top of a waiting drone. Jackie typed the parking space number into the drone's keypad, and the little drone sped out of the store towards where the cyberpod was parked.

"Inez is over there," Shari said, pointing to another kiosk a little ways down the hall. A short, dark-haired woman wearing glasses was tapping on the screen.

"Oh, Inez, you just about ready to leave?" Jackie asked, walking over to her friend. Inez glanced over her shoulder, startled.

"Y-yes, just about done."

Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Are you all right, Inez? You don't have to be scared of us."

"I'm-I'm not."

Shari took a step closer and Inez shifted to block the kiosk screen from view. The wizard just shrugged at Jackie, then looked around with disinterest. Just then, her eyes alighted on a silvery cyborg walking toward them.

"Here comes Allen Gorinthm."

"Who's he?" asked Jackie.

"He's the one who designed Amazin'," Shari explained, adding under her breath, "He's probably going to try to sell us something." She nodded toward the angular figure as he drew closer. "Hi Al."

"Good afternoon, Shari, and who are these lovely companions of yours?"

"This is Jackie, and that's Inez."

"Ah, members of Motherboard's Cybersquad," Al said in recognition. "It is an honor and a privilege having you here. I hope you found everything you were looking for. We have everything here! Amazin' is you're one-stop shopping destination because we're just amazing!"

"And humble," whispered Jackie to Shari. To Al, she said, "This is a really cool space. I found everything I was wanting."

_Swish! _**Ding!**

"What was that!" cried Jackie as a little circular drone appeared beside her head, making a funny noise.

"That is my latest invention, meant to improve your shopping experience," Al said proudly. "It's a cookie. It takes note of the items you've purchased in the past, so you can more easily purchase them again. It also alerts you to related items you might like based on your previous purchases. Let's see."

Taking the "cookie" into his wiry hands, Al tapped the screen on its underside. An image of a pair of gold hoop earrings appeared on the screen along with the words "Suggested Item." "It would appear that your cookie thinks this item would go along well with something else you've already purchased," Al said.

Jackie took a look at the image. "You're right. Those would look great with the dress I just bought. And they are so cute."

Al smiled. "You can press the blue button and it will be added to your next order."

"All right!" Jackie exclaimed.

"Now is there anything else I can help you ladies with?" Al asked.

"I really think we should be leaving," Shari said, looking at the watch she hastily made appear on her wrist. "Thank you all the same."

"My pleasure," the cyborg said, bowing and walking away.

Shari rolled her eyes at Jackie. "You don't know how lucky you are. He'd have kept us buying related items for half an hour or more." She turned to Inez. She could see the "Transaction Complete" message was up on the kiosk screen. "All set?"

Inez's package dropped onto the waiting drone, and Inez programed in the parking space number. "All set," she replied, following her friends out of Amazin'.

o.0.o

"So, what are your plans for the rest of your stay in Cyberspace?" Shari asked over her shoulder to Inez as the three rode to Radopolis in the cyberpod.

"Date night with Slider tonight," Inez answered, grinning.

"I love how you two still go out even after being married," Jackie responded.

Just then the squakpad on the dashboard of the cyberpod lit up and Matt appeared on the screen. "Jacks, is Shari there?"

"Whatever happened to 'hello'?" Jackie wanted to know.

_**Crash!**_ Something broke off-screen. Matt's face was red. Shari leaned over to see the squakpad.

"Shari, you need to come home right away! They're tearing the place up!"

"Don't know how to handle your own kids?" Jackie could not help teasing.

Matt frowned. "Any child-rearing training I got was on how to raise _human_ kids, not wizards!"

Suddenly, there was a flash of purple then a frog with red hair appeared on the screen.

"Yeek!" Jackie shrieked.

"Stay calm, Matt," Shari advised. "I'll be home in a few minutes." Then to Jackie, she added, "I must admit the twins are getting better. Last week they turned him into a feathered puffer-fish."

A fox tail swished behind the frog just before the screen went black. "I won't go congratulating their accomplishments yet," Jackie remarked.

By now, the pod had pulled up in front of the apartment building where Inez and Slider stayed while visiting Cyberspace. Inez gathered up her parcels and hopped out. "Thanks for the lift," she said.

"No problem," Shari returned, waving. "Have a good evening."

Within a moment, the cyberpod was zoomming away through Cyberspace towards Control Central where Shari was going to drop off Jackie before continuing home. Jackie was already gathering up her things to make a hasty departure the second they landed.

"I think I'm missing something," she realized. "Did I get those yellow shoes? Maybe I forgot to add them to my cart. I wish I could look back over my order."

_Swish! _**Ding!**

"Huh?" Jackie gave a startled glance over her shoulder, surprised to find the cookie drone there. "Great!" Jackie quickly flipped it over to look at the screen and review her order.

Meanwhile, Shari had a horrified expression. "What's that doing here? The cookies aren't supposed to leave the cybersite! Can you imagine all the kinds of trouble those things could get you into if someone else was to get hold your search history?"

"Oh, man, you're right," Jackie agreed. "We need to go complain to Allen Gorinthm right away!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Oooh, Hacky! I just adore surprises. Especially from you," Wicked grinned at her green-toned boyfriend as he walked across the open space of the Grim Wreaker, carrying a large package in the shape of a broom. "Oh Hacky, it's just what I want-" Wicked exclaimed as she tore away the wrapping, but she cut herself short. "This is last year's model."

The Hacker's face fell. "It is not. I bought the latest Zoom-Broom...because nothing is too good for my Wicked-poo."

The purple bristles of the broomstick landed on his head, nearly knocking off his wig. Hacker quickly straightened his hair and inspected his large chin for a dent.

"Humph," Wicked snorted, throwing down the broom she had just hit Hacker with. "If nothing is too good for me, how come you didn't get me what I wanted? Some boyfriend you turned out to be!" Grabbing up her old broom, Wicked made her departure.

"Hey Boss." Hacker's round cyborg henchman, Buzz, peeked around a door. "How'd it go with Wicked? Did she like her present?"

Hacker stamped his foot. "That was supposed to have been the latest model. Someone at Amazin' must have gypped me. And no one gyps The Hacker!"

Buzz, followed by his partner-in-crime, Delete, walked over to where their boss was standing, glaring down at the abandoned gift.

"If only I had a way to review my receipt to show Wicked I did purchase the newest broom for her," Hacker mused.

_Swish! _**Ding!**

"Huh?" Hacker looked up in surprise at the levitating disk before him.

"Hey, it's one of those cookies!" Delete cried excitedly. "I want one! I want to see my recent purchases, too!"

_Swish! _**Ding!**

The drone whacked Delete in the back of the head. Hacker quickly swiped it away out of reach.

"That one's mine!" Delete asserted, rubbing his head.

"Yes, and so easily taken for a little re-programming." An evil grin spread over The Hacker's large chin. "I have just thought of a new way to take over Cyberspace."


	3. Chapter 3

Inez perused the menu of the little outdoor cafe in Tikiville while she waited for Slider to arrive. Because he was working late, Slider had told her to go ahead and keep their reservation; he wouldn't be long. And as promised, he wasn't. Inez saw him coming across the street, and all the butterflies she had managed to keep subdued during the day began to flutter wildly in her stomach.

"Hey, sorry for being late," Slider said, taking the seat across from her.

"Nothing to be sorry about," Inez smiled.

"What'll it be?" asked the waitress cyborg, coming over to their table.

"I still need a few minutes," Slider replied, hastily picking up a menu. "You go ahead, Nezzie, if you're ready."

"I'll have a glass of coconut milk," she responded, turning to the waitress.

_Swish! _**Ding! **

All three looked up in confusion at the disc levitating beside Inez's head. "What is that?" the Earthling demanded.

"It looks like another one of those cookies from Amazin'," the waitress answered in annoyance. "Mine's been following me around all day."

Inez tipped the screen forward to see what the disc was trying to tell her. She remembered that Jackie and Shari had been talking to the creator of the cybersite store about "cookies" when she had been finishing up her purchases, but she really had not been paying attention to what it was all about. Something to do with suggested items?

Sure enough, the screen revealed an image along with the words "Suggested Item - Based on your previous purchase from Amazin'." The image was for pickled cranberries.

"That sounds disgusting," Slider muttered, looking over his wife's shoulder. "Why would that be a recommended item?"

"I don't know." Inez placed the cookie on the table top, not sure what else to do with it.

The waitress marked down Inez's drink order on her touch screen notepad and left the table.

"What had you working late?" Inez asked.

"Riptide - you know, that kid who lives up the street - came in with a broken skateboard. He asked if I could fix it before the junior league competition next week. That kid really can fly on a board, and do all kinds of tricks, too. He got to showing me some stunts, and I started giving him pointers, and before I knew it, it was late afternoon and I still had to fix that engine on Mr. Blade's cyberbike." Slider gave Inez a sheepish look. "I shouldn't have gotten so busy with Riptide, but it was fun, you know."

Inez smiled back. "I'm glad you spent time with that kid and talking about skateboards."

**Ding! **

Inez and Slider looked down at the new suggested item: a child's skateboard. "It says it was recommended based on a purchase made earlier today?" Slider turned the disc towards him. "I would have thought it would have made the suggestion based on our current conversation." Slider looked up at his wife's red face and he grinned mischievously. "So what did you buy today?"

"Here's your drink," announced the waitress, returning to their table, holding a coconut with a straw in it out to Inez. "Are you two ready to order?"

_Swish! _**Ding! **

Inez frowned at the cookie sitting on the table, but this time it was a different sphere, this one hovering behind the waitress. The annoyed cyborg grabbed the disc and tilted it so that both Slider and Inez could see that the cookie wanted to know if the waitress wanted to re-order grocery items she had purchased in the past.

"I actually do like this shopping feature for the cafe," she admitted. She pressed a button on the screen that read "Place Order." "Now, hopefully it will quit following me around for the rest of the day." And just like that, the little drone zipped away. "Until the next time it thinks I will want something," she moaned.

She took Slider's and Inez's meal orders and left the two alone again.

"Now, c'mon, Nezzie, quit keeping secrets," Slider prodded, leaning over the table towards her.

Inez put on a face of mock indignation. "Don't call me Nezzie!"

o.0.o

Jackie and Shari scanned the droves of shoppers at the busy Amazin' shopping center. It did not take them long to spy Allen Gorinthm. The smiling cyborg was giving a sales pitch to the three little pigs about carpentry tools.

"Hey Al," Shari called to get his attention.

Al turned his smiling face towards the two women. "Twice in one day, ladies? This is a surprise! What can I help you with?"

Jackie glanced at the pigs. "Could we talk to you privately?" she suggested.

Surprised, the silvery cyborg agreed and led them to his office. "Is it Motherboard? What can I do to help? I can supply everything!"

"Don't worry, this is not a major problem," Jackie assured. She did not blame the cybercitizen for mistaking their request for something drastic. How many times had she gone to a cybersite just to enjoy herself only to find the residents giving her nervous glances, wondering if she was on a mission from Motherboard? It seemed like there was always at least one. "We only had a concern about this." And Jackie removed the cookie from her purse.

"What about it?" Al asked, taking the drone into his hands and starting to examine it.

"It followed us to other cybersites," Shari explained.

"Yes, that's our newest offering," Al admitted happily. "The cookie can now read your preferences and interests on other sites to help you make better and informed shopping decisions back here at Amazin'."

"But won't that get annoying, having a drone following you around and showing pop-up advertisements all the time?" Jackie questioned.

"Not only that," Shari went on, "but what information is it really obtaining on other sites? And what if that information falls into the wrong hands?"

Al shook his head. "They are perfectly safe. The information travels back to this site electronically through a secure system. Here I'll show you." Al directed the women to a large flat screen. After he typed something into the keypad, the screen displayed an elaborate tracking system that was recording many purchases all at once. "This allows us to make sure that all personaly information and currency are being sent to the appropriate places, whether to the departments from where the purchases were made or that snelfus are returned to consumers if items were returned."

Jackie nodded her approval of the system. "Well, that's a relief."

"Still," Shari grumbled, "I would prefer to not have a cookie floating around behind me wherever I go."

"I see." Al rubbed his chin. "Maybe we should integrate an unsubscribe option?"

Just then, words in large red letters flashed on the screen. "LINK BROKEN"

"What does that mean?" Jackie exclaimed.

Al's face was purple with alarm. "It means that a transaction link was damaged. I'll have my tech team on it at once. This has never happened before. More than likely," he added, trying to regain his composure, "it's just a gylch in the server being used. Once it's restored, the snelfus will continue on their way to the correct destination."

Al pressed a button and a cybercitizen, who looked something like a pink dodo bird, appeared on the smaller screen on Al's desk.

"Megabyte," Al addressed, "what can you tell us about the break in the link?"

Jackie continued to stare at the large screen. Another transaction appeared to have gone awry. Then another one.

Megabyte shook her head in absolute confusion. "It doesn't appear to be a gylch. It looks like the transactions are being rerouted!"

"To where?" Al was turning purple again.

Shari could hear Megabyte typing hastily on the other side of the screen. "It's encrypted. I can't track it."

Al leaned back in his chair in a state of shock. "We've been hacked!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Inez stared at herself in the mirror. She had tried countless times to tell Slider her big news, but the restaurant had not really been the ideal place. Not to mention, that darn cookie kept dinging every few minutes with crazy suggestions: bizarre foods, miniature furniture, colored cyber-wool… Okay, maybe not extremely crazy suggestions.

Slider's face had grown increasingly perplexed with each new ding! Inez laughed now as she reflected on the evening, but at the time she had only gotten annoyed with the cookie and Slider's questions.

"C'mon, Nezzie," she chided herself. "You're back in your apartment. Now is a great time to tell him." She tried starting her speech several times in front of the mirror, trying to envision Slider's response. "Well, you know how you always wanted an assistant in the garage…no, that's no good. You know, we have about the same hair color, what do you think is the probability that…no, too scientific. Slider, I'm going to make you the happiest person in Cyberspace. Yeah! That sounds good…until Slider says something like 'That sounds like a tall order' or 'Lame, let's have an adventure instead.' That's it! Slider, how would you like to go on an adventure?"

"Was that directed at me or the mirror?"

Inez whirled around to find her husband leaning against the doorframe of their bedroom door. His arms were crossed and there was a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I thought you were locking the garage."

"I finished with that," Slider replied with a shrug. "Now, what did you want to ask me?"

Inez gulped. This was not the romantic moment she had been hoping for, but at least that cookie from Amazin' seemed to be nowhere in sight to interrupt her. She tried to take a calming breath before she began.

"Slider, would you like to go on an adventure?"

"Naw thanks, not tonight. I'm hitting the couch and bag of popcorn." Slider jerked a thumb towards the living room. "So, are we watching _Pirates of the Calculation Sea_ or not?"

Inez felt a little hurt by the response, but this still was not the ideal setting for her announcement either. "Yeah," she said, brightening. "I love watching that movie with you."

o.0.o

Jackie was still staring at the large screen in Al's office while the frantic cyborg contacted different departments of his company to stop the snelfu transactions. Just then, Jackie noticed that one of the broken links was suddenly mended, traveling its normal course. For a second she hoped that the technology department had restored the transaction link, but the worried and frenzied voices coming from the various departments through the small screen on Al's desk suggested otherwise.

"Can you trace this link?" Jackie asked, pointing to the screen. "It appears to be placing an order like normal."

Al gave a frazzled look. "We keep our customers' names confidential!"

Shari rolled her eyes. "That's evident when you allow little drones to pursue your customers like puppy dogs to other cybersites!"

Al frowned, but Jackie spoke up before he could make a retort. "This link appears to have been fixed. But if your technologies department did not correct it, then someone else has."

Reluctantly, Al pounded some keys on his desk, and a dialogue box appeared on the screen above the questionable link.

"Don't let this leak out that I allowed cybercitizens' personal purchase orders to be reviewed by non-employees," Al grumbled.

"Don't send pop-up drones to your customers so that everyone around them know what your company suggests based on their purchases," Shari remarked under her breath.

Jackie read the new name from the dialogue box that showed up on the screen. "Wicked?"

Shari rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "This wouldn't be the first time that witch has tried to take over Cyberspace. Too bad for her she gave herself away by hacking everyone's accounts but her own!"

"But this account was hacked," Jackie mused. "I thought…" Jackie read the list of purchased items below the customer's name. "A Zoom-Broom 3001?"

"What do you mean it's your coffee break?" Al sputtered at the small screen before glancing over at Jackie, his tone abruptly changing to his usual salesman lilt. "It's our latest model." Then turning back to the screen, "I'm not paying you to drink coffee!"

"You know, I'm still flying around on a Wimbus 2000?" Shari muttered. "It's so old I can't get an upgrade. But Zoom-Brooms are so expensive…and only last until the next version comes out."

Jackie ran her finger under the words as she read two additional purchases. "A blue bunny…thirty cases of donuts?"

She and Shari exchanged a glance. "Delete and Buzz!" they exclaimed together.

"Why do I get the sneaking suspicion that Wicked isn't just buying presents for those two robots?" Jackie asked with a frown.

"Would Buzz and Delete purchase a gift for Wicked using her own account, or…"

Shari and Jackie glared at one another as the same thought occurred to them. "Hacker! Hacker bought Wicked a fancy broom, using her own money. Now, Buzz and Delete are draining the rest of her account. Wicked won't know until it's too late!"

Another link suddenly seemed to correct itself and more purchases were being made. "Hacker is going to steal from everyone!" Shari paled.

"Stop all purchase orders and snelfu transactions from being completed!" Al shouted at the little screen.

Jackie turned back to Al. "Wait, stop all deliveries except the Zoom-Broom. I have an idea."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"_I can't think of a more despicable, disgusting, poor-excuse-of-a-pirate to surf the web!" a patrol officer growled at the swaying form of a cyborg with dark blue dreadlocks. The pirate gave the officer a reproving stare. _

"_I cannot confirm or deny that there is any probability in the truth of what you have just said or not, but there stands a likely chance – undoubtedly – that at the very least you have heard of me: Captain Back Space!" _

Slider paused the film and glanced over at Inez expectantly. The woman was snuggled beside her husband on the couch, her mind wandering, not realizing for a moment that silence had filled the room.

"Hey, how come you paused it?" she asked.

"You didn't seem to be watching."

"I-I was," she stammered.

Slider shook his head. "Nah, your mind's elsewhere. Has been since before dinner. What gives, Nezzie?"

This was not how Inez had planned on telling him, no dramatic lead up, no creative phrase. But as she sat curled up beside him, wearing his sweatshirt that was too big for her but was warm and cozy for movie-watching, both of them bathed in the blue light of the television screen, Inez realized this was it. It was just the two to them, no missions to save Cyberspace were weighing on their minds, they were just relaxing in their usual way. It was perfect.

With a new light shining in her eyes, Inez faced Slider with her news, only to pause when she saw the same light in his own eyes. "You know!" she reprimanded.

"Wasn't hard to figure. Pickled cranberries? My father said my mom used to eat those when she was going to have me. And she used to make him go to the cybermarket in the middle of the night. Now that we have that cookie, I won't have to make those same late-night trips."

Inez swatted him playfully with a pillow. "That cookie ruined everything!" she said, though she was laughing. "I'm surprised it hasn't tried to interrupt this moment, too."

"I locked it in the garage." Slider grinned and wrapped his arms around Inez. "I may have guessed it, but I've been dying all evening to hear it from you."

Inez snuggled in closer. "Slider, you're going to be a dad."

o.0.o

The Amazin' drone halted before the large hanger on the Northern Frontier, where the_ Grim Wreaker_ was stationed. Buzz and Delete hurried down the gang plank towards the waiting drone, excited about their order of doughnuts and bunnies. They were disappointed when the only purchase aboard the drone was the Zoom-Broom.

"Where are my bunnies?" Delete lamented.

Buzz shushed him. "The Boss doesn't know about our orders. We'll just have to intercept the next drone and get to our orders before the Boss finds out." Buzz picked up one end of the large package. "Get the other end, Dede."

Together, the robots carried the package inside the _Grim Wreaker_ to find Hacker adding some extra hair gel to his wig and buffing his pointy chin. "Wicked said she is on her way," The Hacker almost sang. "Put that on the table, boys! Gently!"

The Hacker could not believe his luck that Wicked had agreed to meet with him again after their recent upset. He had barely had to coax her with any of the speeches he had prepared to win her win over. He glanced over at the package, imagining the joy on the witch's face when she saw that he had gotten her the latest flying broomstick. With her own money. Well, served her right for insulting him, dumping him the way she had. And it wasn't just Wicked who would pay; all of Cyberspace would soon be in debt because of him, he who would arise as their only hope because he would have the items they would need to survive, the items they could no longer purchase at Amazin'. And he would appear merciful, giving to the poor...in exchange for a revolution in his favor. The poor would adore their new savior and fight to replace Motherboard with him: The Hacker.

Hacker hurriedly finished grooming himself. Evidently, Wicked was in the vicinity of the Northern Frontier anyway and would be there in just a moment. How fortunate.

Just then, Wicked marched into the large, open area of the _Grim Wreaker,_ looking partly insulted, partly intrigued. Hacker threw his arms wide as though to embrace her.

"Wicked, dear, I'm so glad you came back and have allowed me to woo you once more."

The witch sniffed disinterestedly. "I did not come back to be wooed, Hacker." She crossed her arms.

Hacker lowered his arms, slightly put off. "The Hacker made a promise, and The Hacker always keeps a promise, Wicked." Again, the witch showed little interest as Hacker gestured towards the package. "Guaranteed to be the latest version!"

Wicked walked over to the package, lifting the lid. The shiny chrome and green hue of the broomstick handle seemed to wink up at the witch. A grin spread over her face in spite of herself. "Oh, Hacky-poo, you've really outdone yourself," she said in her sweetest, most excited voice.

"Only the best for my Wicked."

"Now, what was it that Al Gorinthm told me to do in order to keep it?" Wicked pressed a finger to her chin.

"Al...what? The cyborg from Amazin'?" Hacker looked startled.

"Oh yes," Wicked replied, slowly turning towards Hacker, the sweetness from her eyes fading. Full wrath took over. "That's right, make the jerk who robbed me pay for what he did, not just to me but to all of Cyberspace."

Wicked's wand flashed into view and before Hacker could respond, a streak of yellow light had flashed from the wand and engulfed him.

"Reset all the cookies and the damage you have done, and send all the cookies back to Amazin'!" Wicked growled, twisting her wand back and forth. Likewise, Hacker, trapped in the yellow glow of power, was rocked to and fro around the room.

"But, Wicked...darling...sweet cakes, I did it all for you. The new broom for my future queen when I take control of Cyberspace."

Wicked glared. "But you had to do it with _my_ snelfus, huh?" Swinging her wand, Hacker was launched towards the controls of his computer. Wicked grinned. "Reset!"

Hacker crossed his arms. Wicked couldn't hold him prisoner forever in her forcefield. Either she would give out or Buzz and Delete, who had retreated into another part of the spaceship, would eventually overpower her, forcing the wand from her grasp.

"You can't do this to me, Wicked!"

Suddenly, Hacker's chin disappeared, eliciting a scream from the supervillain.

Wicked smiled. "I'm thinking of giving you hair, Hacker, some nice, craggy witch's broom, with split ends and nothing you can do to tame it, brush it, cut it. No wig will hide it."

"Stop! Stop!" Hacker cried. "I'll do it! I'll reset the cookies and send them back! Anything but that!"

o.0.o

Wicked glided around Al's office space on her new Zoom-Broom. (Shari could not help being a little envious of the shiny new broomstick.) Wicked had finished relating what had transpired on the _Grim Wreaker_, and one of Al's employees had just arrived with news that all the cookies that had been hacked had been returned and that employees were in the process of ensuring that the damage had been undone.

"We'll be recalling all cookies," Al informed Jackie and Shari after Wicked had left on the broomstick, a gift from Amazin' for the trouble Hacker had caused her and for her help in reversing the damage. "There will be added safety features to protect cybercitizens' accounts."

"Glad to hear it," Jackie stated before yawning. "Goodness! It's getting late."

Al escorted the women to the store's entrance. Although not as busy as it had been during the day, Amazin' was surprisingly still packed with shoppers at the late hour. "Amazin'," Al marveled. "The cybersite that never sleeps."

At the sliding doors, Al turned towards two employees making their way towards them. "Amazin' is indebted to you two, and we would like to show our appreciation."

One cyber-employee held up some jewelry for Jackie, while the other lumbered under the weight of a new Zoom-Broom. Once outside and away from Al and the employees, Jackie and Shari grinned excitedly over their rewards.

"I almost feel guilty taking the stuff," Jackie admitted. "It kind of feels weird, like we didn't do much, other than show up at the right time."

Shari switched on the Zoom-Broom, watching the handle glow green.

"Though it was kind of nice just solving the problem ourselves." Jackie moved toward Shari's cyberpod. "Though it was different without Inez or Matt."

"Oh my gosh!" Shari cried, coming out of her daydreams about the new broomstick. Fear filled her eyes. "MATT!"


End file.
